In recent years, methods for simultaneously preparing large numbers of chemical compounds have attracted increasing interest. One approach for preparing the compounds is to arrange individual reaction vials within a single reaction unit or block.
A reaction block generally includes a large number of reaction vials, each of which corresponds to a reaction vial for containing a reaction mixture. The reaction block provides a spatially-addressable approach for analyzing the synthesis of a family or library of chemical compounds. Using reaction blocks in this way allows larger number of compounds to be generated and screened more quickly. Thus, reaction blocks are valuable in reducing, for example, the time necessary in bringing new pharmaceutical drugs to market.
Although different reaction blocks are known in which the temperature of the block, and thus the reaction mixture within the vessel, can be controlled, it is difficult to carry out a reflux reaction in a simple, reliable way using known reaction blocks.